Pride and Prejudice, Novel by Jane Austen, published anonymously in three volumes in 1813.
It centres on the burgeoning relationship between Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a country gentleman and the novel’s heroine, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, an aristocratic landowner. It is set in rural England at the turn of the 19th century, and it follows the Bennet family, which includes five very different sisters, all of whom their mother is keen to see suitably married. The intersections of these sisters with several eligible bachelors drive the action of the novel. Despite initial friction between them, Elizabeth eventually accepts Darcy’s proposal of marriage.
Pride and Prejudice was the second of four novels Austen published during her lifetime. It has remained popular since its first publication, and it has inspired various stage, film, and television productions.
